A disequilibrium evaluation of public intervention in agricultural credit markets

Abstract

Purpose Agricultural producers rely on debt capital to support many functions of their enterprise, yet private credit markets are frequently characterized by an imbalance between supply and demand. As a result, a number of public lending programs exist to mitigate the perceived market failures of private credit markets that serve agricultural producers. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a structural disequilibrium model to examine the potential for excess demand or supply in the private market for non-real estate farm loans between 1978 and 2014. Findings The model demonstrates that the market is frequently characterized by disequilibrium, fluctuating between periods of excess demand and excess supply. These disequilibrium periods motivate the discussion of public intervention as a policy proposal within the agricultural sector. Originality/value This study uses traditional disequilibrium modeling to evaluate the private credit market for agriculture lending in a manner that has not been attempted previously in the literature. The model uses maximum likelihood methods with non-linear solution algorithms to investigate excess supply and demand in the sector.